Every Tuesday, Kevin and Jenna talk about all things food in Connecticut with Alex from CT Food Girly. One of the best things to do in the spring and summer is seeing live music while also enjoying some delicious food and drinks. This week we find out the best restaurants, bars, breweries, and wineries in the state to do exactly that.
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Restaurants/ Bars
If you want a little slice of Italy, check out Marcello’s Italian Eatery in Monroe. It’s right in the
plaza, they have outdoor seating, a stunning interior and delicious cocktails and food. Their
happy hour is M-F and that ties in nicely because every Friday night they have live music right in
their bar area. Normally, it starts around 7 or 8:00pm and it’s a great way to enjoy live music and
know that consistently there will be a band every Friday night at Marcello’s. For food, you can’t
go wrong here. I’ve had their vodka sauce flatbread, short rib ragu with burrata, a gorgeous
antipasto platter and their new espresso martini flight.
Another great restaurant with live music and tasty eats is Village Bistro in Milford. They have a
huge nightlife every weekend with live music, dancers, ladies nights, happy hours, Saturday and
Sunday brunch and more. If the weather is nice, meet up on their outside patio, enjoy their great
cocktails, I personally love their strawberry margaritas, and listen to the music of the night.
In New Haven there is Stella Blues. This is more of an intimate, laid-back bar that hosts a
diverse group of live music acts, open-mic nights, and happy hours as well. They update their
upcoming events every week on their website and tonight is open mic and this weekend there
are three different bands: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They’re not too big on food here, mostly
you’re going for the cold beer and drink menu, but still a cool spot to check out the live music in
New haven.
Lastly, The Stand in Branford has some great live music bands come across their stage. This
restaurant also posts their events on their website and they are packed full for April and May.
They also have Sunday brunch, weekly happy hour, weekly steak night and fun nightly events.
They recently got a new chef in their kitchen and the menu had a revamp as well, the bbq is
really delicious, definitely get your hands on their pulled pork mac and cheese, pretzel sticks
and dry rub wings.
Breweries/Wineries
In Derby, there is The Hops Company, better known as THC. I truly love this place and the
atmosphere it always brings. They have a great outdoor area, TVs, games, a beer garden
packed with craft beers, Zuppardi’s pizza, fresh salads, dessert and now Taco Loco appetizers,
tacos, and larger plates. For big holidays and events, they always get a live band in there to get
the crowd going all day, they also get DJs in there as well. It’s really nice, the live bands can
play outside on the patio or inside the main seating area. Definitely check out THC if you haven’t
been.
Another awesome brewery for live music is Milford Point Brewing. Fun fact, this was the first
brewery to open in Milford. They offer happy hour, Thursday night dart nights, watch parties, and
of course live music on Fridays and Saturdays. They post their weekend schedule on Instagram
and the bands for that week as well. This is a great spot to hang out and chill, converse with
friends, and sip on some cold beer. They do have pizza and pretzels here for food, it is dog and
kid friendly as well.
A secret spot we have in North Haven is a winery called Small Batch Cellars. I’ve been here a
couple of times and the wine is delicious, you can bring food and snacks as you wish, there is
also a variety of cheese and crackers to buy on site, but this is a smaller winery, that is perfect if
you want to enjoy being outside, hanging with friends and family, and there is always
entertainment. Inside, they have a huge stage for bands. They are starting up a summer concert
series from June to October and I think that’s a great idea if you want somewhere for consistent
live music and good weekend vibes.
Lastly on my list is the family owned and operated, Paradise Hills Vineyard & Winery, which is
located in Wallingford. They are open year round and this is such a beautiful vineyard to be
outside and enjoy. They offer delicious wines, swirl slushies, wine flights, events, and of course
live music. On Instagram, they do post their weekend schedule for their artists, and Fridays and
Sundays seem to be the days to catch the live music in the vineyard. For food, pack up your
picnic basket and bring our favorites to enjoy.